Hawk-Item - - Ranked fourth in the nation in tackles per game (11.2) . . . ranks 25th in career tackles with 258 . . . 145 tackles in 2009 ranks fifth-best for single season . . . led Big Ten in tackles per game for league games only (12.8) and ranked second for entire season (11.2) . . . one of three seniors named to 2009 Leadership Group . . . one of four juniors named to 2008 Leadership Group.

2009 Honors - - First team all-America by Football Writers Association of America, CollegeFootballNews.com and Phil Steele's College Football . . . second team all-America by Walter Camp Football Foundation and the Associated Press . . . second team all-College Football Insiders . . . Roy J. Carver Most Valuable Player, Defense . . . Permanent Team Captain . . . Hayden Fry Award, Defense . . . Iron Hawk Award . . . one of five finalists for Bronko Nagurski Award . . . first team all-Big Ten by league coaches and media . . . first team all-Big Ten by Sporting News . . . named to cbssports.com Mid-Season all-America team . . . named Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for his play in win at Penn State . . . named Lott Trophy IMPACT Player of the Week vs. Penn State . . . Linebacker National Performer of the Week by College Football Performance Award committee vs. Penn State.

2009 - - Started at middle linebacker in 17-16 win over Northern Iowa . . . tied for team lead with 12 stops vs. UNI, including three solo tackles, and had one pass break-up . . . started at middle linebacker in 35-3 win at Iowa State as defense collected six turnovers . . . recorded two solo tackles and two assists at ISU . . . started at middle linebacker in 27-17 win over Arizona as defense allowed just 105 passing yards and 253 yards total offense . . . recorded six tackles (two solo, four assists) and two pass break-ups vs. Arizona . . . started at middle linebacker in 21-10 win at Penn State . . . recorded 14 tackles at PSU, including four solo stops and 10 assists to earn national and conference defensive Player of the Week honors . . . caused a fumble early in the fourth period to stop a potential PSU scoring drive . . . had pass interception and 38-yard return in fourth quarter that led to touchdown and 18-10 advantage . . . started at middle linebacker in 24-21 win over Arkansas State as defense allowed just 80 net rushing yards . . . led team with 11 tackles vs. ASU, including six solo stops . . . started at middle linebacker in 30-28 win over Michigan . . . led team with 12 tackles, including three solo stops against the Wolverines . . . started at middle linebacker in 20-10 win at Wisconsin at defense allowed just 87 rushing yards and 243 yards total offense . . . led team with line tackles at Wisconsin, including four solo tackles, one QB sack and a pass break-up . . . started at middle linebacker in 15-13 win at Michigan State as defense allowed just 85 net rushing yards . . . led defense with nine tackles, including three solo stops and six assists . . . started at middle linebacker in 42-24 win over Indiana as defense allowed just 79 net rushing yards overall and just three points in the second half . . . led team with 12 tackles vs. Hoosiers, including four solo stops and 1.5 tackles for loss . . . also caused a fumble . . . started at middle linebacker in 17-10 loss to Northwestern as defense allowed just 10 points and 239 yards total offense . . . career-high 17 tackles vs. Wildcats, including four solo stops, and added a shared tackle for loss and one pass break-up . . . started at linebacker in 27-24 overtime loss at Ohio State . . . led team with 13 tackles at OSU, including five solo stops . . . started at middle linebacker in 12-0 win over Minnesota as defense allowed just 48 rushing yards and 201 yards total offense . . . led defense with 16 tackles against Gophers . . . started at middle linebacker in 24-14 Orange Bowl win over Georgia Tech as defense allowed just 155 yards total offense . . . led team with 10 tackles in bowl game, including career-high seven solo stops and one tackle for loss.

2008 Honors - - Second team all-Big Ten by league coaches . . . second team all-Big Ten by Phil Steele's College Football . . . Big Ten defensive Player of the Week vs. Wisconsin . . . Hustle Team Award, defense . . . 2008 - - Ranked second in the Big Ten and tied for 28th nationally in interceptions at .38 per game . . . ranked sixth in the Big Ten with 8.2 tackles per game . . . led team in tackles with 107 stops, including 45 solo tackles and 62 assists . . . listed as co-first team MIKE linebacker following spring practice . . . saw action in 46-3 opening win over Maine as defense allowed just 83 passing yards and 220 yards total offense . . . recorded four solo stops and one assist vs. Maine, along with first career interception and three yard return . . . saw action in 42-0 win over Florida International as defense allowed just 56 rushing yards and 218 yards total offense . . . had one pass interception and 12 yard return vs. FIU . . . earned first career start at middle linebacker in 17-5 win over Iowa State as defense allowed just 73 rushing yards . . . recorded career-best seven tackles vs. ISU, including two solo tackles and five assists . . . started at middle linebacker in 21-20 loss at Pittsburgh, recording team-high seven tackles, including four solo stops and three assists, along with two QB pressures . . . started at middle linebacker in 22-17 loss to Northwestern . . . career-best 11 tackles vs. Northwestern, including 10 solo stops, along with two pass break-ups and one QB pressure . . . started at linebacker in 16-13 loss at Michigan State as defense held second leading rusher in the nation to 91 net rushing yards . . . matched career-high 11 tackles for second straight week, including five solo stops and a tackle for loss . . . started at linebacker in 45-9 win at Indiana as defense allowed just 95 rushing yards and 286 yards total offense . . . recorded five solo tackles vs. the Hoosiers . . . started at linebacker in 38-16 win over Wisconsin . . . reached career-bests in tackles (16) and pass interceptions (two) vs. Wisconsin, recording three solo stops and 13 assists . . . returned two fourth quarter interceptions 19 yards against the Badgers in earning league Player of the Week honors . . . started at linebacker in 27-24 loss at Illinois as defense allowed just 60 net rushing yards . . . recorded five solo tackles and four assists at Illinois, including a shared tackle for loss . . . started at linebacker in 24-23 win over third-ranked Penn State . . . collected 12 tackles vs. Penn State, including three solo stops and nine assists, and recorded 1.5 tackles for loss as defense allowed just 289 yards total offense . . . started at linebacker in 22-17 win over Purdue as defense allowed just 86 net rushing yards . . . recorded nine tackles, including two solo stops and seven assists vs. Purdue, along with pass interception at Iowa five-yardline in the fourth quarter . . . also recorded 1.5 tackles for loss vs. Boilermakers . . . started at linebacker in 55-0 win at Minnesota as defense allowed seven rushing yards and 134 yards total offense while posting second shutout of the season . . . recorded nine tackles at Minnesota, including career-best six solo stops and three assists, and 1.5 tackles for loss . . . started at linebacker in 31-10 Outback Bowl win over South Carolina as defense allowed just 43 net rushing yards . . . led team with six tackes vs. South Carolina, including five solo stops, one QB sack and one pass break-up.

2007 - - Listed as second team weak side linebacker following spring practice . . . saw action in opening win over Northern Illinois, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 21 rushing yards and 235 yards total offense . . . did not see action in win over Syracuse . . . did not see action in loss at Iowa State . . . did not see action in loss at Wisconsin . . . saw action in loss to Indiana, but had no statistics . . . saw action on special teams in loss at Penn State, recording one assisted tackle . . . did not see action in win over 18th-ranked Illinois due to injury . . . did not see action in loss at Purdue due to injury . . . did not see action in double OT win over Michigan State due to injury . . . saw action in win at Northwestern as defense held Wildcats to three points, seven rushing yards and 124 yards total offense in the second half, but had no statistics . . . did not see action in win at Northwestern . . . did not see action in win over Minnesota due to injury . . . did not see action in loss to Western Michigan due to injury.

2006 - - Listed as third team weak side linebacker following spring practice . . . saw action in 41-7 season-opening win as defense held Montana to 10 net yards rushing and 144 yards total offense . . . had no statistics vs. Montana . . . saw action on special teams in double overtime win at Syracuse, but had no statistics . . . saw action in win over Iowa State, recording one assisted tackle . . . saw action on special teams in win at Illinois, but had no statistics . . . saw action on special teams in loss to top-ranked Ohio State, but had no statistics . . . saw action in win over Purdue, recording two assisted tackles . . . saw action in loss at Indiana, but had no statistics . . . saw action in loss at Michigan, but had no statistics . . . saw action in win over Northern Illinois , but had no statistics . . . saw action in loss to Northwestern, but had no statistics . . . saw action in loss to Wisconsin, but had no statistics . . . saw action in loss at Minnesota, recording one solo tackle and one assisted tackle . . . saw action vs. Texas in Alamo Bowl, but had no statistics.

2005 - - Redshirted.

High school honors - - Earned first team all-state honors as a senior and junior . . . first team all-conference as a junior and senior . . . team captain as a senior . . . Career - - Holds school records for tackles in a game (25), season (197) and career (344) while playing middle linebacker . . . career totals include 344 tackles, including 63 tackles for loss, 17 QB sacks, five forced fumbles, four recovered fumbles and one interception . . . recorded 128 tackles as a senior in helping team win Class 4-A state title . . . also had 28 tackles for loss, eight QB sacks and one forced fumble and one recovered fumble . . . recorded 197 tackles as a junior, with 35 tackles for loss and nine sacks, plus four forced fumbles, three recovered fumbles and an interception . . . earned three letters in football, two in wrestling and soccer and one in track and field . . . helped his team to the 2004 state soccer championship.

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